Pages

Thursday, March 29, 2012

MLB Network did a countdown of the top 100 players in baseball for the 2012 season; ESPN.com is counting down the top 500 players in baseball for the 2012 season.

I'll do 150. I actually have another 50, but sorting them is really splitting hairs, so I won't. The MLB Network list is first. I'll offer some comparative thoughts. I'll edit in the ESPN list when it's done. My list is at the bottom.

MLB Network List:

100. Ichiro Suzuki (wouldn't make my top 200)

99. Carl Crawford (about where I have him)

98. Steven Strasburg (I have him much higher)

97. Starlin Castro (I have him higher)

96. Chase Utley (the injury makes him super hard to rate, I have him higher)

95. Michael Morse (I have him higher)

94. Michael Bourn (wouldn't make my top 200)

93. Craig Kimbrel (I have him lower in my 150)

92. Ryan Madson (injured now)

91. Shin-Soo Choo (I have him much higher)

90. Madison Bumgarner (about where I have him)

89. Adam Wainwright (I Have him higher)

88. Gio Gonzalez (would not make my top 200)

87. Kevin Youkilis (I have him higher)

86. Alex Rodriguez (I have him higher, and near Youkilis)

85. Howie Kendrick (about where I have him)

84. Dan Uggla (I have him higher)

83. Rickie Weeks (I have him much higher)

82. Carlos Beltran (I have him higher)

81. Ben Zobrist (I have him much, much higher)

80. Joe Mauer (I have him much, much higher)

79. Carlos Santana (I have him much, much higher)

78. Heath Bell (not in my top 150, but he'd be in my top 200)

77. John Axford (wouldn't make my top 200)

76. Brian Wilson (MLB Net went on a closer run here in the 70s; I'd have him at the very, very back end of the top 200, which is where I have a similar run of closers)

75. Jhonny Peralta (I have him much lower)

74. Brett Lawrie (about where I have him)

73. Eric Hosmer (I have him much lower)

72. Yovani Gallardo (I have him lower)

71. Tim Hudson (in my top 200, but doesn't make my 150)

70. Adam Jones (about where I have him)

69. Alex Gordon (I have him higher)

68. Cole Hamels (about where I have him)

67. David Freese (I have him much lower)

66. Aramis Ramirez (I have him much lower)

65. Ricky Romero (would make my 200, but not my 150)

64. Zach Grienke (about where I have him)

63. David Price (about where I have him)

62. Jose Valverde (would be at the end of my 200, in that run of closers)

61. Jonathan Papelbon (I have him much lower)

60. Buster Posey (I have him higher)

59. Ryan Howard (also hard to rate because of the injury, but I have him much, much lower)

58. Shane Victorino (about where I have him)

57. Josh Beckett (I have him significantly lower)

56. Chris Carpenter (now out with the injury)

55. Mark Teixeira (I have him higher)

54. Carlos Gonzalez (I have him higher)

53. David Ortiz (I have him much lower)

52. Derek Jeter (The Late Derek Jeter would make my 200, but he's not in the 150)

51. Lance Berkman (about where I have him)

50. Jon Lester (I have him much lower)

49. Ian Kennedy (I have him much lower)

48. Miguel Montero (I have him much lower)

47. Brian McCann (I have him higher)

46. Matt Cain (about where I have him)

45. James Shields (I have him lower)

44. Pablo Sandoval (I have him higher)

43. Matt Holliday (He's in my top 20)

42. Andrew McCutcheon (I have him higher)

41. Giancarlo Stanton (He's in my top 20)

40. Brandon Phillips (I have him lower)

39. Alex Avila (I have him lower)

38. Yadier Molina (I have him lower)

37. Dan Haren (About where I have him)

36. Hunter Pence (I have him lower)

35. Nelson Cruz (About where I have him)

34. Mike Napoli (I have him lower)

33. Paul Konerko (I have him much lower)

32. Asdrubal Cabrera (I have him lower)

31. Ian Kinsler (In my top 20)

30. Josh Hamilton (About where I have him)

29. Michael Young (How is an old singles hitter without a glove one of the 30 best players in baseball? In my 200, but not the 150)

28. Justin Upton (About where I have him)

27. Mariano Rivera (I have him much lower)

26. CC Sabathia (About where I have him)

25. Jose Reyes (About where I have him)

24. Hanley Ramirez (In my top 20)

23. Curtis Granderson (I have him lower)

22. Ryan Zimmerman (About where I have him)

21. Evan Longoria (In my top 10)

20. Felix Hernandez (I have him lower)

19. Tim Lincecum (I have him lower)

18. Cliff Lee (About where I have him)

17. Jacoby Ellsbury (About where I have him)

16. Adrian Beltre (I have him lower)

15. Joey Votto (In my top 10)

14. Adrian Gonzalez (In my top 10)

13. Jered Weaver (I have him lower)

12. Dustin Pedroia (I have him lower)

11. Albert Pujols (In my top 10)

10. Prince Fielder (About where I have him)

9. Ryan Braun (In my top 10)

8. Robinson Cano (About where I have him)

7. Roy Halladay (About where I have him)

6. Jose Bautista (About where I have him)

5. Clayton Kershaw (I have him lower)

4. Troy Tulowitzki (About where I have him)

3. Miguel Cabrera (Only guy in the entire 100 in exactly the same spot on my list and MLB Network's list)

2. Justin Verlander (I have him lower)

1. Matt Kemp (I have him lower)

ESPN List:
I'll offer some thoughts about 500-151, then edit in 150 on, as I ranked my top 150 below.